Jensen Beach Federal Crimes

Criminal Defense Lawyer in St Lucie, Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee

In Jensen Beach, being investigated for or getting charged with a criminal offense that violates Federal law is a serious matter. Having a defense lawyer who has experienced success inside a Federal courtroom is crucial. Brian Mallonee is a board certified criminal trial lawyerand successfully defends cases in Federal court on a regular basis.

Federal Crime Process

Federal cases are very different than cases brought in state court. The cases move very fast and the ultimate sentence is generally up to the Judge, no matter what the "agreement" between the government and the defense may be.

In Federal court the rules of procedure are different, the rules of evidence are different, discovery is different and the potential penalties can be extremely harsh. If a grand jury indictment is handed down, the first step is to try and convince the court to free the accused on bail. This takes place within a few days of the arrest at a pre-trial detention hearing. A variety of factors are considered by the court, but most of the focus is usually on whether or not the accused presents a risk of flight (fleeing the jurisdiction) or a danger to society.

After the pre-trial detention hearing, the case will move even faster. Pre-trial motions need to be investigated, researched, filed, and argued. If there is to be a trial, it will generally be set within 70 days of the date of arrest.

Pleas Bargains in Federal Court

If a case results in a plea, an intimate knowledge of the Federal sentencing guidelines is vital. Basically the guidelines are a bunch of recommended sentencing penalties that depend on a slew of variables that have to be carefully scrutinized.

Recent changes in the law dictate that the guidelines are only advisory, meaning the judge can look at them for advice, but the ultimate sentence is up to the court. This is a welcome change because it gives your Federal criminal attorney an opportunity to be an advocate and try and persuade a judge to sentence someone "below the guidelines." It also makes your choice of Federal criminal lawyers a very important one. If you enter a plea, your attorney needs to know how to convince a Federal judge that you are worthy of a lenient sentence.

Going to Trial in Federal Court

After your defense lawyer conducts a thorough investigation and negotiates with the U.S. Attorney's office, it may be that you decide to exercise your right to a trial by jury. If you are going to trial in a Federal court on Federal charges, you are going to want a lawyer who is experienced in Federal court and Federal charges. Additionally, you will want an experieced Federal criminal attorney who actually cares and who has the special skills to persuade a jury of your innocence.

Hiring "local counsel" is often a wise move. Although special favors and "secret winks" are generally a myth, having a Federal criminal defense lawyer who has earned credibility over the course of time can never hurt. Familiarity with local law enforcement, prosecutors, and judges can be a distinct advantage when trying to negotiate a deal or "handicap" an important ruling.

Southern District Information

The U.S. Attorney's office for the southern district of Florida prosecutes Federal cases in Fort Pierce. The cases that are heard in Fort Pierce arise from alleged conduct that takes place in the counties of St. Lucie (Fort Pierce, Port St. Lucie), Indian River (Vero Beach, Sebastian), Martin (Stuart, Jensen Beach, Palm City), Okeechobee, and Highlands. The Law Office of Brian H. Mallonee is located in downtown Fort Pierce near the Federal courthouse.

The hiring of a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely upon advertisements. Before you decide, ask us to send you free written information about our qualifications and experience.
The information on this website is for general information purposes only.
Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation.